VOL. XVIII, PP. 191-196 SEPTEMBER 2, 1905 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE 



CRANIAL LENGTH MEASUREMENTS AND OF 



THE CHEEK-TEETH OF MAMMALS. 



BY OLDFIELD THOMAS. 



Although various reasons prevent the general success of such 

 a wholesale revolution in scientific terms as is described in 

 Wilder and Gage's Anatomical Technology (1882), where the 

 many arguments in favor of accurate nomenclature are admira 

 bly put forth, yet in various corners of science improvements 

 can be suggested which, if the workers are willing and in touch 

 with each other, may be a real help in reducing the inconvenience 

 of the loose or clumsy terminology commonly in vogue. 



Two such suggestions, due largely to the instigation of Mr. 

 Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., form the subject of the present paper. 



I. LENGTH MEASUREMENTS OF THE SKULL AND PALATE. 



In giving the length measurement of the skull, not only do 

 different authors at present use different measurements in de 

 scribing the skulls of similar or related animals, but in doing so 

 they designate these measurements by terms of which it is often 

 difficult or impossible to make out the exact meaning. Such a 

 name as ' ' basal length ' ' has I believe been used by one person 

 or another for almost every one of the measurements to be here- 



34-PROC. BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XVIII, 1905. (191) 



